جامعة قطر تطلق مسابقة تصميم عالمية للتصدي لكوفيد-١٩

The Peninsula

Qatar University’s College of Engineering (QU-CENG) has announced the launch of COVID-19 Global Virtual Design & Innovation Competition under the theme of “Re-Engineer the Future of Healthcare and Improve Lives — Design with Impact”.

COVID-19 has affected billions of people; even those who are not affected physically are hit economically and mentally. The need to improve healthcare systems and facilities are evident. With potentially 70% of the population on the brink of being infected by COVID-19, our worldwide healthcare systems will be strained beyond their limits.

In his comment, Dr Khalid Kamal Naji, Dean of QU-CENG, said: “This competition aims to contribute to the reduction of the coronavirus (COVID 19) effect, and contribute to the United Nations (SDG) Goals — ‘Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages’, UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No. 3.

“This global virtual challenge aims to push the boundaries of design and product innovation in healthcare to solve prevalent global health issues. We are looking for out of the box ideas that work now and in the future, as well as solutions that can be scaled-up to improve and enhance patients’ experiences. This challenge ends with a unique, international exhibition of all shortlisted designs,” he added.

In his comment, Prof Abdelmagid Hammuda, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at CENG, said: “Our priority is to create an environment that fosters collaboration to allow the best possible designs to see the light. The winning design should support COVID-19 patients anywhere in the world. We are committed to accompanying the teams as they work towards meeting the challenge requirements by providing them with technical, engineering, materials and compliance experts who will actively support them in their design”.

Design topics include mobile apps that address and dive into real-life COVID-19 cases related to healthcare such as emergency dispatch; remote healthcare; crowd management and census; profiling the spread among clusters and communities; deep data analysis; security on and off-premise cyber assets; and outreach to inspire communities. Participants could make non-chemical based disinfection devices or 3D technology to build things like ventilator valves, breathing filters and customisable facemasks, etc. to prevent further spread of the virus. The design files for these parts can be produced anywhere in the world to help end-customers bridge potential supply chain interruptions.

Participations can cover designs of smart healthy mobile buildings hosting healthcare facilities. A fast-assembled/disassembled, low-cost and user-friendly “buildings” that can accommodate infected and cured patients with 0-contagion risk. While providing wellbeing, comfort and healing atmosphere through adequate spatial, artistic and architectural considerations, the design of such buildings should be contagion-proofed.

Key dates: Going live and start of submission: April 5, 2020; submission deadline: June 25 2020; announcement of shortlisted applications: August 20, 2020; announcement of winners: September 24, 2020 and international virtual exhibition: October 20, 2020